Posts by Rich of Observationz
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The concept of social liberalism/economic conservatism is bogus.
There are two factors in play here:
- one very successful survival mechanism of capitalism is to build fear and bigotry in the masses. By feeling that there is an "other", who they can look down on and simultaneously fear, the mass are distracted from what's happening to them economically. Thus, they support "socially conservative" movements that promise a suitable degree of oppression against that other, even though those movements have economic policies that work against them.That's why ACT were so keen to have Garrett et al on board, and why we are bombarded with crime stories in the media.
- liberal policies work best when there is a support mechanism that enables people to live in freedom without external controls. For instance, if you have a large dispossessed underclass, they will have substance abuse problems. The right-wing approach, rather than addressing the root cause (social exclusion) is to promote prohibition as a point fix for the substance abuse.
Hence, the only stable configurations are a neo-liberal economy that uses authoritarian policies to hold the masses in thrall, or a society that combines personal freedom with social justice.
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You know what would be truly radical? Have a scheme where people can relinguish their investment properties in return for the cash being put into Kiwisaver, and their property then rented out on a long term tenancy by either the government or (even better) a tenant owned cooperative.
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Hard News: #NetHui: it's all about you, in reply to Paul Campbell,
We also used magnets on the brand new brushed steel dish washer
My apartment has appliances that are either aluminum anodised to look like stainless steel, or an austenitic steel that isn't magnetic, due to nickel content.
So fridge magnets don't work (bit like fridge magnates, who spend their time on yachts).
how do they work?
Pertubation of the electromagnetic quantum vacuum, bro.
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My dishwasher forces me to put all cutlery handle-down
Not to get all daytime TV host on you, but shouldn't you be laying down some rules and asserting yourself with this dishwasher? It is but a piece of household whiteware, and you shouldn't be letting it get all normative with you.
[I assume we are talking about the electro-mechanical-hydraulic dishwasher here rather than a meat-based member of your household]
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It's unbelievable that our only national radio broadcaster tries to do news on a $30k international travel budget. That's not far from the student radio model of reading the net and maybe phoning a mate in London.
I've also noticed that when they do carry international news, they're buying someone else's agenda unchallenged - e.g. having a "London correspondent" who's a former Tory MP (and not making that clear).
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WebMarshall HATES me
People should be aware that Marshal products, unlike some other filters, are under the control of the deploying organisation. Whilst there are defaults, you can set trigger words and weightings, whitelist sites and warn rather than block.
[I used to work at Marshal Software. We had no firm blocks apart from viruses, and the option of using or not using the WebMarshal proxy].
Also, single-L.
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And you do realise that by being a frequent and valued commenter here you have fatally aligned yourself with the espresso-swilling bourgoisie?
Yes, indeed. I often worry that come the revolution, if not first against the wall, I will at least make the upper deciles. What can one do? I sold my sports car and moved out of Herne Bay, at least.
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Legal Beagle: Referendum Fact Check #2:…, in reply to uroskin,
It’s a pity the “Pure Proportional” system isn’t an option
Yes. Is it actually used anywhere? I'd favour it (but would tend to keep the Maori seats unless and until Maori decide to dump them). The obvious argument against is that it doesn't permit people to have a local MP they can take their problems to, but in practice parties designate their list MPs to a geographical area anyway.
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TV for fiction
Close Up, 60 Minutes, Sunday? That sort of thing?
in movies you get to the mood/point a hundred times faster than with a book
Yes, but it's almost always boy meets girl. In the dim, distant past I had about a weeks downtime on a ship and watched pretty much their entire (and substantial) movie stockpile. They were all BMG (there are also movies that are BMB, GMG and WTABMG, if you tend towards hentai - but still basically the same plot).
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One reason I don't watch TV (or play many video files) is that talking heads are always going to be full of error and tendentiousness. I'd much rather read texts that have had some considered thought behind them.